The instant invention relates to a clutch which provides a means of reversing a drive direction, and more particularly to such a clutch having separate overload protection in either direction.
Many machines, such as electrophotocopying machines having a reciprocating carriage to scan expose a document to be copied, have components which in the course of a cycle of movement must reverse direction. Such machines typically have an endless drive member, such as a drive chain, and rely on clutching devices to reverse the direction of movement of the driven component. The prior art clutches have generally proven satisfactory, and some even include the ability to separate the drive power from the driven component in the event of an overload on the driven component, which may, for example, come about as result of an accidental jam. In an electrophotocopier, the reciprocating carriage could accidentally jam against a person and cause injury to the person and possible damage to the photocopier. The instant invention accordingly provides a clutch which can reverse the direction of a drive input and which protects against an overload in either direction, but which comprises significantly fewer parts than similar prior art reversible, slip clutches.